And contending is not out of the question if the team’s high-priced core returns to good health and good production. If that’s the case, then a few bullpen additions along with a couple key spots in the lineup could be the focus of the team’s off-season.

The other big reason why the Phillies should stick with Hunter Pence is the fact that he is doing precisely what was expected of him when he was acquired from the Houston Astros last summer.

Offensively, Pence is performing quite well with respect to his career averages. Below is a comparison of Pence’s 2012 statistics to his first five seasons in the majors.

Category

2012 Pace

Career Avg

Avg

.279

.291

HR

31

22

RBI

95

77

Runs

106

74

RISP

.224

.290

To summarize, Pence’s batting average is down, and his much-publicized struggles with runners in scoring position are legitimate this season. However, he is not receiving much credit for the fact that he is on pace for career highs in runs scored and home runs. His RBI total would be two shy of his previous career best.

So, after a 2012 season in which all of those other Phillies veterans have contributed little or nothing while Pence has joined Carlos Ruiz as the team’s only source of offense, why is he suddenly such a popular source of criticism?

There’s no doubt he has some ugly mechanics at the plate and some Domonic Brown-like tendencies in the field. But, anyone who thinks that those two issues are new never watched Pence during his first five seasons as a pro.

The bottom line is that Pence was never brought to Philadelphia with the expectation of carrying a ball club. The nightmare that has been this Phillies season has seen Pence put in a role that has set him up to fail. He was not supposed to be the team’s clean-up hitter and leading run-producer. The fact that he will hit more than 30 homers while scoring over 100 runs and driving in nearly 100 more in a lineup that has been brutal at times is an indication that he is doing what the Phillies are paying him to do.

Plus, if Victorino is not a member of the Phillies beyond this season (highly likely) and the John Mayberry Jr. experiment is mercifully not extended to 2013, Pence represents the only returning member of the team’s outfield. If the Phillies are attempting to sneak through what seems to be a narrowing window of opportunity, Pence needs to join the veteran crew that will be in place next April.

The Phillies’ dismal season combined with the emotional time that precedes the trade deadline has convinced many fans that everyone must go. And realistically, there will be some long-tenured members of the franchise that will be moving on. The challenge for the team’s front office will be to recognize which players are still productive enough to be a part of what could be next season’s last go-round.

If Amaro considers the reasons he wanted Hunter Pence so badly one year ago, he will quickly realize that Pence has been worth the prospects and dollars that were sacrificed to obtain him.

Matt Babiarz was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He graduated from the University of Alabama, but remained a very close observer of the Philadelphia sports scene. He recently began covering the Phillies for Philly2Philly.com. You can also read his work at Bleacherreport.com within the Philadelphia Phillies section.